In airfields, for instance, it is common to bury fuel lines for supplying the aircraft, and such fuel lines will often be of high capacity, for instance, 8" diameter. In the event of an air attack such fuel lines may be damaged and portions of the pipeline severely bent and ruptured. Rapid repair of such fuel lines is of utmost importance.
It is an object of the invention to provide a pipeline repair system capable of quickly repairing large diameter conduits with rigid tubular inserts wherein such repair causes no restrictions to fluid flow, and may be used permanently.
Another object of the invention is to provide a pipeline repair system utilizing rigid conduit inserts wherein the configuration of the conduit system may be infinitely varied between wide limits to permit accommodation to the misaligned ends of the damaged pipeline.
A further object of the invention is to provide a pipeline repair system utilizing fittings attached to the damaged pipe wherein a strong mechanical connection to the damaged pipe is achieved having excellent sealing integrity, and which may be installed by average skilled workers.
An additional object of the invention is to provide a pipeline repair system rapidly adjustable to accommodate misaligned damaged pipe ends, and wherein the system includes a plurality of relatively rotatable interconnected inserts highly resistant to axial separation.
In the practice of the invention the damaged section of a ruptured pipeline is cut out and the pipe is trimmed to provide squared ends. A fitting is applied to each pipe end utilizing an axially displaceable flange which compresses an annular seal upon the damaged pipe mechanically affixing the fitting to the pipe in a fluid-tight relationship. The fitting includes an axially disposed extension extending beyond the end of the pipe.
The bridging conduit system inserts include a primary bridging conduit of a linear rigid configuration having angularly disposed elbow sections rotatively associated with the ends thereof. By rotation of the angle elbow sections a wide variety of angular relationships may be produced to align the ends of the bridging system with the fitting extensions for attachment thereto.
A sealing means in the form of couplings, seal rings and drive wires interconnect the components of the bridging system, and the bridging system with the fittings, wherein relative rotation between the components is possible for adjustment purposes, yet a fluid-tight system is produced. Adjustment between the components, and assembly of the components to the pipeline, is accomplished with non-skilled personnel, and by utilizing different lengths of primary bridging conduits a wide variety of pipeline breaks can be quickly repaired.